Chest Protector

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a catcher&#39;s chest protector which includes, among other things, a harness with one strap holding the neck of the chest protector firmly against the neck of the player and a second strap to hold the chest portion of the protector against the chest. The harness is designed to be quickly adjustable and secure for a variety of body sizes and shapes so that the protector can rapidly be switched between different players while still fitting them all well. The catcher&#39;s chest protector may also forego any metal or leather components so as to be washable in a fabric care machine for simplified care.  
     The catcher&#39;s chest protector may also include a specially designed neck guard designed to hold a cooling liquid or gel against the major blood vessels in the neck to help keep the catcher cool under all their protective gear. Further, the chest protector may also include a cross or other realignment mechanism which can help the pitcher to quickly return their gaze to the strike zone after watching other occurrences such as a potential base stealing runner.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/318,481 filed Sep. 10, 2001, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of chest protectors. In particular, to chest protectors for use in thrown ball games such as baseball or softball.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Baseball is a sport played by many people in a multitude of countries and under a multitude of conditions. The sport is played from the finely groomed fields of the Major Leagues, to playgrounds, to pickup games on sandlots or fields. Baseball can, however, be a dangerous sport. A baseball is generally thrown with a significant amount of force and can be hit with tremendous force, even by those who are very young and not playing in well organized games, or in professional settings.

[0006] In order to protect the players from the force of the ball, baseball players generally use specially designed gear. Fielders use gloves to help prevent their hands from receiving the full impact of the ball when catching it, and a batter generally wears a batter's helmet and other protective gear in case the ball should come at him instead of the strike zone. The catcher, however, is the player on a baseball field most in harm's way, as every pitch is thrown at him and the catcher essentially acts as a stop for the ball. Although the catcher will generally stop the ball with a specially designed glove, a pitch may nick the bat and be redirected into the catcher's body or a pitch can curve or move unexpectedly and miss the catcher's glove. Both of these situations can happen unexpectedly and quickly. In recognition of the likelihood of the catcher's body being hit with the ball, the catcher generally wears special safety gear. This gear is generally designed to protect the forward portion of the catcher's body when they are squatting in the usual catcher's position facing the pitcher and prepared to receive the pitch. The most noticeable components of the protective gear are the steel cage catcher's mask designed to prevent the ball from impacting into their face, and the chest protector to protect their torso and possibly groin area.

[0007] In order for a chest protector to be effective, it needs to be sized correctly to, and worn appropriately by, the catcher. In particular, the protector needs to be held adjacent to the catcher's body and not be allowed to droop or hang loosely in front of them. When close into the body, a ball striking the protector has its impact dissipated by the padding of the protector and spread over a larger area of the catcher's body hopefully preventing any one area from receiving 1:5 sufficient force to suffer injury. If the protector is worn incorrectly, the protector can fail to dissipate the force but instead be driven into the body of the catcher without distribution of the force across the padding.

[0008] In order to make sure the chest protector is held securely in place, the chest protector has traditionally had a multipoint “Y” harness attached thereto which goes around the back of the catcher and secures the protector to the catcher through a complicated harness. This harness can be very secure, but requires significant effort to resize between players. When players own their own equipment, this usually is not a problem, but for younger players and less organized games, it is often impractical. In “little leagues” or sport clubs there are often multiple teams that share equipment because the club is on a limited budget. Often times, the gear is passed between multiple catchers during a single game. As more catchers use the same equipment, the task of having to resize the protector over and over becomes arduous and may not be done effectively prior to the catcher needing to take the field. Because younger baseball players also often have disparate body shapes and sizes, due to uneven growth, the task can become even more difficult.

[0009] Further, since the players in these games are often young children and the protective gear is owned by the club, the protective gear is often not treated well and may not be taken care of during, or after, the game. This can result in two problems. In the first, anything which is separable from the protector may be lost. Straps which are not attached to the protector can be misplaced or forgotten by players who are not focused on the maintenance of their gear resulting in further degradation of the ability to effectively attach the protector to other players. Secondly, the protector is generally not maintained or cleaned because no individual has sufficient motivation to perform necessary maintenance. The problem is exacerbated because the protector is not easily cleaned in fabric care machines, but instead requires extensive hand cleaning. The protector will often include metal rivets, buckles, rigid plates and/or leather straps which either are damaged by placement in a fabric care machine, or can damage the machine itself. Because the protector can be so difficult to clean, cleaning is often skipped leaving the protector undesirably dirty.

[0010] Metal and other rigid components have previously been used to add strength to the protector (and to hold the “Y” harness securely), but in some cases can also lead to harm. Traditionally, a chest protector has attached using straps which attach to metal riveted attachment points and that use rigid buckles for adjustment. Under normal conditions, these buckles are on the player's back and cannot be hit with a ball, but when a protector is used on many different players of disparate sizes, the adjustments between players may force the straps to extreme positions meaning the buckle is at the edge of the protector which may be on the forward, or front side of the player. This buckle can then be hit by the ball leading to an aggravation of the impact from the ball instead of protection as rigid components form smaller areas of impact focusing the force from the ball instead of dissipating it. The rigid attachment points for the straps (which are often metal riveted to provide a solid connection and are on the chest protector's padding) can also be hit by the ball resulting in a similar problem. Further, no matter where the rigid points are located, those points can always be impacted by a runner hitting the catcher.

[0011] Yet another problem with the chest protector in younger players is that the protective gear is heavily padded and often insulative leading to it being hot to wear (as it is designed for protection, not comfort). The problem with this is that younger players may be unlikely to see the benefit of wearing the protector compared with their discomfort from the increased heat of wearing the protector. This is especially true for games played on less than ideal fields as the field is more likely to be in the sun and more likely to include structure (such as dry sand) which can reflect the sun and increase the temperature on the field.

[0012] In addition to the problems with the use of the chest protector, it is also often a problem in younger players that a pitcher is more likely to throw wild pitches (that hit the catcher) as they are learning to throw to the strike zone. This is particularly true when pitchers are learning to watch runners on base and to throw the ball quicker with a more limited windup. A pitcher generally learns to watch the runner and quickly refocus on the strike zone or the catcher's glove as the decision to pitch is made. However, the ability to refocus is a learned talent and while learning the pitcher is more likely to miss the strike zone and possibly hit the catcher leading to an increased risk of injury.

SUMMARY

[0013] Because of these and other previously unknown problems in the art, disclosed herein is a catcher's chest protector which includes, among other things, a harness with one strap holding the neck of the chest protector firmly against the neck of the player and a second strap to hold the chest portion of the protector against the chest. The harness is designed to be quickly adjustable and secure for a variety of body sizes and shapes so that the protector can rapidly be switched between different players while still fitting them all well. The catcher's chest protector may also forego any metal or leather components so as to be washable in a fabric care machine for simplified care.

[0014] The catcher's chest protector may also include a specially designed neck guard designed to hold a cooling liquid or gel against the major blood vessels in the neck to help keep the catcher cool under all their protective gear. Further, the chest protector may also include a cross or other realignment mechanism which can help the pitcher to quickly return their gaze to the strike zone after watching other occurrences such as a potential base stealing runner.

[0015] In an embodiment, there is disclosed herein a chest protector comprising a chest portion, a neck portion, a left shoulder portion, and a right shoulder portion; a protective collar, attached to the neck portion and in raised relation thereto; a chest strap having two ends, the first of the two ends being attached to the chest portion, and the second of the two ends having a fastener portion; and a neck strap having two ends, the first of said two ends being attached to the protective collar, and the second of the two ends having a fastener portion; wherein said chest strap fastener portion wraps around the torso of a user and attaches to a mating chest fastener portion attached to said chest portion and said neck strap fastener portion wraps around the neck of a said user and attaches to a mating neck fastener portion attached to said protective collar when said chest protector is being worn.

[0016] In an embodiment the protective collar includes at least one area into which a package of cooled material can be placed, which may be a pocket. The package of cooled material may comprise a flexible bag, and/or the cooled material may comprise at least one of a liquid and a gel.

[0017] In an embodiment at least one of the chest strap and the neck strap comprise an elastic material, and/or at least one of the chest strap fastener portion, the neck strap fastener portion, the mating chest fastener portion, and the mating neck fastener portion comprise hook and loop fastener. In another embodiment, the chest strap can be attached at a plurality of attachment points, attachment at each of the plurality of attachment points resulting in the chest strap fitting a player of a different torso girth, and/or the neck strap can be attached at a plurality of attachment points, attachment at each of the plurality of attachment points resulting in the neck strap fitting a player of a different neck girth.

[0018] In yet another embodiment, the chest protector further comprises a realignment mechanism which may comprise material forming a cross having at least four arms. In an embodiment, at least one of the arms comprises at least a portion of said chest strap and in another embodiment the realignment mechanism is in a color contrasting with the color of said chest portion.

[0019] In an embodiment, the chest protector further includes padding which may comprise a pelletized material such as a pelletized plastic.

[0020] In a still further embodiment, herein is disclosed a catcher's chest protector comprising: a chest portion, a neck portion, a left shoulder portion, and a right shoulder portion; a chest strap having two ends, both of the two ends being attached to the chest portion by a flexible attachment. At least one of said two ends may be sewn to the chest portion and/or at least one of the two ends may be attached via a flexible fastener portion to the chest portion.

[0021] In a still further embodiment, herein is disclosed a chest protector comprising: a chest portion, a neck portion, a left shoulder portion, and a right shoulder portion; and a realignment mechanism positioned on the chest portion wherein said realignment mechanism draws attention to a predetermined point on the chest portion. The realignment mechanism may comprise a cross It shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0022]FIG. 1 provides a front view of an embodiment of a chest protector.

[0023]FIG. 2 provides a side view of an embodiment of the chest protector depicted in FIG. 1.

[0024]FIG. 3 provides a close up perspective view of an embodiment of a protective collar and a neck strap from an embodiment of a chest protector.

[0025]FIG. 4 provides a front view of an embodiment of a chest protector (particularly an embodiment of FIG. 1) with a reorienting mechanism.

[0026]FIGS. 5a and 5 b provide a view of a catcher wearing an embodiment of a chest protector as described in FIGS. 1 through 3. FIG. 5a shows a front view, while FIG. 5b shows a side view.

[0027]FIG. 6 provides a view of a catcher wearing an embodiment of a chest protector as described in FIG. 4 with their glove appropriately placed to catch a pitch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0028] Although the chest protector discussed below is discussed primarily in terms of playing the game of baseball, it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that chest protectors of the type described can be used in a wide variety of sports including baseball, softball, or other sports. In addition, although the chest protector discussed below will be discussed primarily as being used by younger male players, it should be clear that the benefits of such a protector, while possibly clearer for younger players, could be utilized by players of any age, sex, or skill level.

[0029]FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 provide an embodiment of a chest protector of the instant invention. The chest protector (101) is composed of a plurality of portions such as chest portion (103), neck portion (105), right and left shoulder portions (107) and (109) and an optional groin portion (not shown) which are designed to protect various parts of the body of the player. Many chest protectors (101) also include decorative elements such as flaps. In use, the chest protector would be placed on the player (the user of the chest protector (101)) such that the U-shaped neck portion (105) bends around the player's neck protecting the base of the player's neck (generally near the top of the rib cage), with the right and left shoulder portions (107) and (109) resting on the appropriate shoulder of the player and protecting them from impact (this is shown in FIGS. 5a and 5 b). The shoulder portions (107) and (109) are depicted as being of the appropriate length to extend from approximately the back outer edge of the shoulder joint to generally the nape of the neck, forming the U-shaped neck portion (105). The shoulder portions may, however, be extended further down the back of the player to provide additional protection if desired. The chest portion (103) should cover the forward portion of a player's torso, particularly extending downward from the neck portion (105) and shoulder portions (107) and (109), and covering the breasts, sternum, rib cage, and possibly extending to the stomach and/or hips. The exact length is generally dependent on the particular design of the chest protector (101) and the preferences of the player. There is then also an optional groin portion (not shown) which can be attached to the lower edge of the chest portion (103) which can cover and protect the groin area, if desired.

[0030] In an embodiment of the invention, the chest protector (101) is constructed of an easily washable and rugged fabric or other woven material enclosing an impact deadening material. The deadening material may be multiple layers of fabric or plastic, or may be comprised of an impact deadening foam as is known to the art. In an embodiment, the impact deadening material may be constructed of a pelletized material which is sewn or otherwise encased in individual Rio compartments (such as compartment (145)). In the preferred embodiment, the impact deadening material is chosen to be flexible and effective at distributing force, yet be safe for immersion in water and washing in a fabric care machine without damage to the machine or the properties of the impact deadening material. Therefore, although metals or other highly rigid materials may be used, plastics, particularly plastic pellets or beads are preferable. One such pelletized plastic material which may be used in an embodiment is sold by Brock USA™ under the trade name “Brock” and can comprise polyethelene and/or polypropylene beads. These beads can then be stitched into the compartments (145) such as between layers of fabric forming the front and back of the chest portion (103).

[0031] Attached to the chest portion (103) of the chest protector (101) is a chest strap (203), which is one of at least two straps for attaching the chest protector (101) to the user. In the preferred embodiment, the chest strap (203) is designed to go around the torso of the user, particularly the lower ribcage, stomach or hips depending upon both the user's body size and shape, and the style of the protector. The chest strap (203) is preferably formed of an elastic material (such as woven materials and/or fabrics including elastic “bands”) and is secured to the chest protector at a first end (213). In a preferred embodiment, metal rivets or other metal components are not used as the first end (213) of the chest strap (203) is attached to the front area of the chest portion (103) and is likely to be hit by a ball impacting the catcher. Instead, the protector is attached by a non-rigid attachment (or flexible attachment) such as a heavy duty sewn area (233) which utilizes flexible construction components. In the embodiment depicted, the sewn area is simply a portion of the elastic material of the chest strap (203) at the first end (213) which has been sewn or otherwise attached to the fabric of the chest portion (103) of the chest protector (101). The chest strap (203) has a fastener portion (225) on a second end (223) which is designed to attach to the chest portion (103) generally on the opposite side of the chest portion (103) from said first end (213). In the depicted embodiment, the chest strap (203) is secured to the left side of the protector and fastens to the right side, but one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that it could be secured to the right side and fasten to the left side. In a preferred embodiment, the fastener portion (225) is an area of a hook and loop (or similar) type of non-rigid fastener, such as but not limited to those made of fabrics, threads, or flexible plastics or other materials, which can then be placed against a mating fastener portion (227) on the face of the chest portion (103) of the chest protector (101). In a preferred embodiment, a two-part hook and loop fastener (such as that commercially available under the trade name Velcro(g) is used to form the fastener portions (225) and (227) because the fastener is therefore flexible and soft which allows the strap to be easily positioned in a variety of positions, even around the front of the protector, without increasing the possibility of injury for the user (as a ball impacting a flexible fastener does not increase the force transferred as a rigid fastener might). Further, the fastener portions (225) and (227) and the chest strap (203) are easily washed in a fabric care machine. In alternative embodiments (for instance if the padding provided sufficient protection even if a rigid fastener is hit) the fastener could be any other type of fastener as is known to those of ordinary skill in the art such as, but not limited to, buckles, buttons, or snaps. In a preferred embodiment, the fastener portions are selected to enable a plurality of locations for attachment where the use of different attachment points leads to different resulting diameters for the chest strap. For example, fastener portion (225) could comprise a single button while the mating fastener portion could comprise a plurality of button-holes or hides along the chest strap (203)

[0032] Although in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 the fastener is depicted on the opposing side of the front of the chest portion, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the fastener could alternatively or additionally be attached to the backside of the chest portion (therefore being against the player when in use), the edge of the chest portion, could be on the chest strap (203), or elsewhere on the chest portion (103) depending on the length of the chest strap compared to the size range of players upon which the chest protector (101) is intended to be used.

[0033]FIGS. 5a and 5 b provide an indication of the appearance of the chest protector (101) in use. The chest protector (101) would be placed against the body (501) of the player (500) and the neck strap (325) attached (discussed below in conjunction with FIG. 3) around the girth of the neck (507) of the player. The chest portion (103) would then be placed against the chest (533) and the chest strap (203) would be pulled from the secured first end (213) around the back (531) of the player and the second end (223) would be affixed on the opposing side by attaching the fastener portion (225) to the mating fastener portion (227) at an appropriate position (of the possible multiple positions) to hold the chest protector (101) firmly against the chest (533) of the player (500). Therefore having the chest strap (203) encircling at least the back (531) of the player with the chest (533) of the player (500) being at least partially covered by the chest portion (103). The chest strap (203) goes around the girth of the player's torso. It should also be clear, that the ends can continue a significant distance onto the front of the chest protector (101) without a loss of protection if the fasteners are appropriately selected. Further, with such a selection, because the strap itself is flexible and contains no rigid components (such as a metallic adjustment buckle) impact into any portion of the strap can also be significantly safer as there are no rigid components which, if hit, could be driven into the player's (500) body by the impact of the ball regardless of the position of the strap. Because both areas of fastener can also be quite large, it is very easy to switch the protector between different players of different body types. That is, the chest strap (203) can be fastened in a plurality of different positions depending on the girth and/or height of the player. For a first player, an attachment point may be selected to have a larger diameter as the player has a larger chest girth for the strap to go around, whereas for the second player, the attachment point may be selected for a smaller diameter to deal with a smaller chest girth. This adaptability is also shown by the use of a flexible or elastic material in the construction of the chest strap (203) which can flex to accommodate different body sizes, and even changes in the body size as the player adjusts from a standing position to the squatting position for receiving the pitch. In one embodiment, the mating fastener portion (227) can be designed to cover a portion of the chest protector larger than the area of the fastener portion (225) or even the entire front of the protector to enable the chest strap (203) to be attached just about anywhere to accommodate a wide range of body shapes and sizes. In a still further embodiment, the first end (213) would not need to be permanently attached and instead both ends of the chest strap (203) can have areas of fastener with the surface of the chest protector (101) having appropriate mating fastener areas. This could allow for the strap to be adjusted vertically on the front of the protector as well as having a different diameter. Further, such a design can also allow for the chest strap (203) to be placed at an angle behind the back (531) of the player (500) possibly to avoid placing the strap across a prior injury (where the pressure exerted by the strap on the body to hold the protector against the body may cause additional injury or discomfort) while still insuring the chest strap (203) holds the chest protector (101) securely in position.

[0034] In this design there is no need to adjust buckles or other complicated apparatus to adjust the length of the chest strap (203). Instead, the chest strap (203) is a constant length but may be attached to the chest portion (on at least one end) at a plurality of different points creating a number of different diameters of the strap and protector combination. These diameters are easily selected as the player is putting on the protector, instead of having to preselect a placement for buckles. It should further be clear that this type of adjustment has the advantage of adjusting to the player while the player is wearing the protector. That is, the strap can be sized to the player while the player is in the protector (the strap is sized as it is pulled around the player and the exact attachment point is selected). With buckles, it was often not possible to adjust the buckles when the player was wearing the protector as the player's uniform or body could interfere with being able to move the buckles and the protector would have to be removed, the new size guessed at, and refitted, often repeatedly, to get the harness to the correct size to fit the particular player.

[0035]FIG. 3 provides detail for the neck portion (105) of the chest protector (101). The neck portion (105) has a protective collar (315) which sticks off of the U formed by the right and left shoulder portions (107) and (109) in a generally perpendicular direction. That is, the protective collar (315) sticks up from the plane of the chest protector (101) in raised relation thereto. When in use, this protective collar (315) should at least partially surround the forward portion of the neck, and therefore provide protection to the throat, larynx, and the major blood vessels in the neck. Basically, as the shoulder portions (107) and (109) of the chest protector (101) are bent over the player's shoulders, the protective collar (315) bends into a generally vertical position so that the collar is roughly parallel to the cylinder of the neck as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5 b. In the depicted embodiment, the protective collar (315) has a constant height so as to fit like a collar of a dress shirt protecting further up the sides than the front as the shoulder portions (107) and (109) curve over the player's shoulders but such a design is by no means necessary. This design is preferred because modem advances in catcher's masks have led to balls which hit the masks being more often deflected off the mask into the side of the neck or the shoulders requiring additional protection on the sides, while the front of the mask generally covers a portion of the neck.

[0036] The protective collar (315) has the same general U shape as the neck portion (105) being designed to sit around the front of the neck upward from the ribs and continuing around both sides forming an approximately ¾ cylinder around the player's neck. The rear of the neck generally does not require as much protection from impact, because the catcher is facing forward when the ball is thrown. It is desirable to keep the protective collar (315) against and adjacent to the player's neck for the same reason as the chest portion (103) should be maintained adjacent to the player's torso. Further, it is desirable that the neck portion be firmly attached to the neck so that, when crouching, and looking forward, the catcher pulls on the surface of the chest protector (101) at the neck portion (105), pulling the chest portion (103) of the chest protector (101) upward from the chest strap (203) smoothing it and forcing it against their torso in preparation for possible impact.

[0037] By attaching the neck portion (105) solidly to the neck of the player, the underlying structures of the neck are protected. The structures of the torso are protected by the rib cage and the chest protector is designed to supplement that protection, the neck has no comparative bone structure and is more easily damaged by impact. However, the neck also needs to be able to flex (and significantly does flex) where the neck meets the torso. By attaching the protective collar directly to the neck, the collar can move and flex with the neck even when the head is turned or bent.

[0038] In order to hold the protective collar (315) in place, attached to the protective collar (315) is a neck strap (325). This strap is of similar design to the chest strap (213) and is secured at a first end (327) in a manner similar to the manner in which the chest strap may be attached (e.g., through a sewn area near said first end (327)) and designed to wrap around the back of the neck to fasten with a fastener at the second end (329). That is, around the girth of the neck. The neck strap (325) is preferably an elastic fabric or other woven strap and the fastener is again preferably an area of hook and loop (or similar) fastener portion (333) on the second end (329) designed to engage a mating fastener portion (339) on the protective collar (315). In another embodiment, the first end (327) is sewn to the edge (359) of the protective collar (315) as depicted in FIG. 3 instead of having a sewn area (233) as shown for the chest strap (203). In a still further embodiment, the first end (327) can also be attached with an additional fastener.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5 b, the neck strap (325) will go around the girth of the neck and hold the protective collar (315) into a firm relation with the player's neck (507). Like the chest strap (203), the neck strap (325) preferably lacks any metal or otherwise rigid pieces which means that if the neck strap (325) is hit with the ball, there is a decreased possibility of injury from rigid components being forced into the neck (507) and the chest protector (101) can be placed in a fabric care machine for cleaning, however, in other embodiments, rigid connectors can be used. Also, like the chest strap (203), the neck strap (325) can have a fairly large mating fastener portion (339) which can be placed anywhere on the protective collar (315) and/or the neck strap (325) to allow for a wide variety of neck shapes and sizes to be accommodated. Because the strap attaches to the protective collar (315), and attaches around the girth of the neck (507), the protective collar (315) cannot fall from the neck (507) regardless of the player's motion and therefore remains in position and protects the neck (507). Once again, for younger players, this type of attachment can allow for more secure use of the catcher's chest protector (101). Other designs have only provided for attachment at the shoulder portions (107) and (109) which does not insure proximity to the neck. For many players, this is sufficient to hold any collar in place but for some individuals such an attachment can result in at least a portion of the collar being spaced from the neck (507) which could result in injury if impacted by the ball.

[0040] In one embodiment, the neck strap (325) includes a cover (351) (as shown in FIG. 3) which is preferably of a soft padded material such as fleece or animal hide. This can allow a softer touch between the neck strap (325) and the back of the player's neck (which is generally bare skin) and means that the neck strap (325) does not need to be placed in direct skin contact where it could possibly irritate the skin with its rough texture (or possible elasticity) or pull out hairs from the back of the player's neck (507). The chest strap (203) may also have such a cover but it is generally unneeded as the user is protected from the surface of the chest strap (203) by their uniform.

[0041] The protective collar (315) may also include, in an embodiment, at least one cooling pocket. This is generally a small pocket, flap, cut, or other similar device on the inside of the protective collar. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, two cooling pockets (390) and (392) are included. The pockets (390) and (392) are generally on the inside of the collar and may be of any shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In an embodiment, the pockets have placed within them packages of a cool material and the pockets are located in the protective collar (315) such that when the protective collar (315) is attached with the neck strap (325) the pockets (390) and (392) are nearby or adjacent to the skin and may rest upon wither or both of the major blood vessels in the neck (the common carotid artery and the external jugular vein) allowing the packet to absorb heat from the player's blood stream and help the player maintain a comfortable temperature while playing.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the material used for cooling is a non-toxic, hypoallergenic, liquid or gel which has been cooled to a comfortably cold temperature and is maintained inside a flexible package, such as a flexible plastic bag, so that the entire assembly has a flexible structure. The temperature is preferably selected so that prolonged contact will not result in cold bums or any other adverse consequence. The cool temperature may be caused by an endothermic chemical reaction in the material, by previously cooling the material through known methods of refrigeration, or through any other method known now or later discovered. Although cooled solids or gases may be used in other embodiments, liquids or gels are preferable because of their properties. A solid could cause injury if hit by a baseball, or by another player trying to make it safely to home base and a gas may be less efficient in cooling than a liquid or gel. In a further embodiment, the material used may also be a cooled pelletized material such as that used as padding in the chest protector (101). Ideally, the material will also not change state as it heats up (or cools) so as to always be of a relatively similar consistency. The use of a non-toxic and hypoallergenic material is preferred, but by no means required, since the package may become damaged and leak if struck. It would also be preferable for the material to be non-staining to prevent permanent fabric damage to either the chest protector (101) or the player's underlying uniform in the event of such a leak.

[0043] In the embodiment shown, the material and its container is designed to be removable from the pockets (390) and (392) so that it can be replaced as it absorbs heat during the game (and loses cooling efficiency) and removed when the chest protector (101) is placed in a fabric care machine for cleaning after the game. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand, however, that the material could be maintained in something other than a pocket on the inside of the protective collar (315) and may or may not be removable from the chest protector (101). In another embodiment, the material is permanently included within the chest protector (101) which is designed to be refrigerated prior to a game to cool the material. In another embodiment, multiple containers of material could be maintained in a single pocket covering either or both of the major blood vessels.

[0044] In still another embodiment, the cover (351) could also include pockets for holding cooled material. Because of the cover's (351) placement on the back of the neck, the placement of cooling material here may not be as efficient as those on the front, but, these pockets would be less likely to be damaged by impact because of their positioning and are less likely to be driven into the catcher's body by impact. In a still further embodiment, the cover (351) itself could be designed to be used for cooling. In an embodiment, the cover (351) is able to absorb a cool liquid prior to placement on the neck strap (305) so as to help cool the player. In a still further embodiment, additional pockets may be included inside other portions of the chest protector (such as chest portion (103)) to provide still additional cooling to the user.

[0045] One of ordinary skill in the art would see how the neck strap arrangement described above could improve the cooling system in addition to the improved protection, even when used on players of a plurality of different sizes. As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5 b, the protector is attached at two points, around the neck and around the chest, stomach or hips. Because the collar is attached around the neck, as opposed to around the back from the shoulder portions, the protective collar is easily attached to the player's neck without complicated adjustment and is easily maintained in place about the player's neck while play carries on. The protector can not fall away from the player's neck even as the player moves during the game, therefore, the cooling material can be maintained in a desirable position, adjacent to the major blood vessels, even as play progresses and/or the player moves his head, and even if the pockets are relatively small compared to the area of the neck enclosed by the protective collar.

[0046]FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a chest protector. In this embodiment, the chest protector includes a realigning mechanism (401). In FIG. 4 this comprises a fabric cross formed of at least two “lines” of material on the front of the protector. The first “line” runs vertically on the protector and the second “line” runs horizontally. The lines therefore form the four arms (441), (443), (445), and (447) of a cross with each line contributing two arms. The center of the cross could be contributed by either or both of the lines, or in another embodiment, one or both of the lines could have the center removed to either not have duplicative coverage or to provide for an alternative center. This cross is preferably positioned so that the center of the cross is positioned within the strike zone when the catcher is in his traditional crouching pose and the arms extend to the outer edges of the chest protector so as to be visible when the catcher's mitt is positioned in front of his body in the traditional crouching pose (which would ideally place the mitt over the center of the cross). This is as shown in FIG. 6.

[0047] The realigning mechanism (401) is designed primarily to attract and center the pitcher's eye when the pitcher is looking at the catcher and therefore a cross is only one of a multitude of shapes which may be used to draw the catcher's eye back to the strike zone (or the catcher's glove). These may include, but are not limited to, shapes formed of intersecting lines and concentric shapes such as a “bullseye” pattern. Further, the cross may be aligned differently (such as to form an “X” shape) in alternative embodiments. Also, although the embodiment of FIG. 4 presumes the realigning mechanism is formed from crossed strips of fabric or other materials sewn or otherwise attached to the surface of the chest protector (101), such a design is not necessary and the realigning mechanism (401) could be created by any method known to one of ordinary skill in the art. This can include, but is not limited to, the use of paints, inks, dyes, fabrics, sewn patterns, adhesives or adhesive strips, or any other material and/or method which could be used to place a realigning mechanism (401) on the surface of the chest protector (101). The realigning mechanism (401) will generally be of a bright, contrasting color that is easily visible on the fabric of the chest protector. For instance, if the traditional black chest protector (101) is being used, a white realigning mechanism (401) may be used. One of ordinary skill in the art would know of multiple colors which could be used for any color of chest protector (101).

[0048] The purpose of the realigning mechanism (401) is to draw the pitcher's eye to the strike zone and/or the catcher's glove by quickly drawing his eye to a predetermined point. In the depicted embodiment this is the center of the cross. For this reason it is therefore preferred that the realigning mechanism (401) be visible beyond the area which would normally be covered by the catcher's glove as shown in FIG. 6. With such a design, the eye is drawn to the center of the cross where the catcher's glove is and, hopefully, where the strike zone is. This type of mechanism is also particularly useful for younger players where the catcher's glove may not be a good indicator of where the strike zone is, and where the pitcher may not be experienced at rapidly returning his vision to the strike zone. The realigning mechanism can also be used by the catcher to check that his glove is appropriately positioned within the strike zone prior to the pitch. For this reason, the cross design, or other designs using intersecting lines, are particularly useful. It is a well known principle that the human eye will naturally follow lines presented to it and in a cross the human eye will naturally gravitate towards the center of the cross leading to the pitcher's eye being drawn into the strike zone quickly and naturally.

[0049] In an embodiment of the invention, the realigning mechanism (401) may be used with the chest protector discussed above in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2. If such a combination is used, the chest strap (203) may be used as part of at least one arm of the cross. In an embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, the first end (313), and the sewn area (233), of the chest strap (203) can be used to form one arm (441) of the cross, with the second end (223) (when secured) and fastener portions (225 and 227) forming at least a portion of the parallel arm (445). This can allow for less expensive manufacture of the realigning mechanism (401).

[0050] While the invention has been disclosed in connection with certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments should be understood to be encompassed in the present disclosure as would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. 

1. A chest protector comprising: a chest portion, a neck portion, a left shoulder portion, and a right shoulder portion; a protective collar, attached to said neck portion and in raised relation thereto; a chest strap having two ends, the first of said two ends being attached to said chest portion, and the second of said two ends having a fastener portion; and a neck strap having two ends, the first of said two ends being attached to said protective collar, and the second of said two ends having a fastener portion; wherein said chest strap fastener portion wraps around the torso of a user and attaches to a mating chest fastener portion attached to said chest portion and said neck strap fastener portion wraps around the neck of a said user and attaches to a mating neck fastener portion attached to said protective collar when said chest protector is being worn.
 2. The chest protector of claim 1 wherein said protective collar includes at least one area into which a package of cooled material can be placed.
 3. The chest protector of claim 2 wherein said area comprises a pocket.
 4. The chest protector of claim 2 wherein said package of cooled material comprises a flexible bag.
 5. The chest protector of claim 2 wherein said cooled material comprises at least one of a liquid and a gel.
 6. The chest protector of claim 1 wherein at least one of said chest strap and said neck strap comprise an elastic material.
 7. The chest protector of claim 1 wherein at least one of said chest strap fastener portion, said neck strap fastener portion, said mating chest fastener portion, and said mating neck fastener portion comprise hook and loop fastener.
 8. The chest protector of claim 1 further comprising a realignment mechanism.
 9. The chest protector of claim 8 wherein said realignment mechanism comprises material forming a cross having at least four arms.
 10. The chest protector of claim 9 wherein at least one of said arms comprises at least a portion of said chest strap.
 11. The chest protector of claim 8 wherein said realignment mechanism is in a color contrasting with the color of said chest portion.
 12. The chest protector of claim 1 further including padding.
 13. The chest protector of claim 12 wherein said padding comprises a pelletized material.
 14. The chest protector of claim 1 wherein said chest strap can be attached at a plurality of attachment points, attachment at each of said plurality of attachment points resulting in said chest strap fitting a player of a different torso girth.
 15. The neck protector of claim 1 wherein said neck strap can be attached at a plurality of attachment points, attachment at each of said plurality of attachment points resulting in said neck strap fitting a player of a different neck girth.
 16. A catcher's chest protector comprising: a chest portion, a neck portion, a left shoulder portion, and a right shoulder portion; a chest strap having two ends, both of said two ends being attached to said chest portion by a flexible attachment.
 17. The catcher's chest protector of claim 16 wherein at least one of said two ends is sewn to said chest portion.
 18. The catcher's chest protector of claim 16 wherein at least one of said two ends is attached via a flexible fastener portion to said chest portion.
 19. A chest protector comprising: a chest portion, a neck portion, a left shoulder portion, and a right shoulder portion; and a realignment mechanism positioned on said chest portion wherein said realignment mechanism draws attention to a predetermined point on said chest portion.
 20. The chest protector of claim 19 where in said realignment mechanism comprises a cross shape. 